Our one and our only
by Gwen Gamgee
Summary: Hey kid, who's the dame in the photo? David and Charlie take a moment to remember some one very important. Set after the second movie.


**So, I wrote this after seeing the second movie, which, I don't blame you if you didn't watch, it was nothing compared to the original, but, anyways... this is what came out of it. Don Bleuth's animation style is very recognizable, and his characters tend to look very similar from movie to movie. Hence... this fic was born. Again, it's set after the second film, so if you haven't seen it, don't read, you'll only get confused. That said, please, enjoy.**

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He'd had an inkling when he'd first seen David in that black helmet, but he hadn't really latched onto what he was seeing. Too busy running for his life, as it were. Saw it again though when he'd moved in with the kid. There was a picture on David's burro; a woman with midnight hair and startlingly beautiful blue eyes.

"Isn't she pretty?" David asked, coming up behind Charlie as he studied the picture.

"Huh?" he noticed the kid behind him and regained some composure. "Yeah, she's ok as humans go," he offered.

"That's my mom," David explained, "My other mom I mean." David picked up the picture and looked at it softly. "She went to heaven a long time ago." Charlie glanced at his boy the back at the picture.

"Wished I coulda met her kid," he offered, "But dogs and humans get separate pads up there. You can visit, if you know what you're lookin for, but," he shrugged his shoulders. David scratched his head, right behind the ears. Charlie had quickly learned the kid was good with that.

"Mom would have _loved_ you Charlie. Always liked animals. We used to have _tons_ of pets down in Louisiana."

"That's nice..." Charlie commented lazily, then was struck by what his kid had just said, "Wait, you're from Louisiana? What part?"

"New Orleans-

"New Orleans!" Charlie barked in excitement, "My home town! You guys had New Orleans and you traded it for _this_ place?!" he asked in shock.

"Dad... Dad said it reminded him too much of Mom..." David said, a little sadly, "She was a singer you know, and everywhere you went,"

"There was music playing in the streets," Charlie finished for him. He rubbed up against the boy. "Sorry kid."

"It's ok," David assured him with a pat. "I do miss it sometimes. I always liked going to the race track with Mom and Dad," he said, reminiscing. "We never bet anything, but there was the food, and the shouting; Mom talking to the horses..."

Charlie, who'd been nodding in agreement as he recalled his own memories, stopped short at the last one.

"Whoa! Wait! Hold it!" he called, signaling for a time out, "Your _Mother __**talked**_ to the horses?" he asked in clarification, one eyebrow raised.

"Yeah!" David assured him, "People always used to ask her for the betting odds, but she always gave 'em the wrong one. Didn't like unfair advantages. People used to think she was..." David paused dramatically, pulling a a blanket from the bed around himself like a cape, "A voodoo master!" he whispered theatrically, then chuckled and pulled the blanket off, "Mom always said people just didn't listen well enough. I always thought she was joking around until I met you."

The pieces were begining to come together in Charlie's mind. Raven hair, blue eyes, _talked_ to _horses,_ David's face... so familiar when paired with a black motorcycle helmet that gave the impression of cropped black hair... _no way, it couldn't be..._

"Your Mom have a name kid?" he asked. If anything settled it-

"Sure!" David said enthusiastically, "Number one Jazz soloist in New Orleans, Miss Anna Marie!" In his excitement, David failed to notice Charlie's eyes becoming wide, and slightly distant with memories. "They even wrote a song about her for her birthday down at Louie's!" David added, beginning to sing.

_Anna Marie, It's Anna Marie!_

_ Back from the old street fair..._

Charlie could almost see it; the smokey club, the smooth male introducer, that large band sound...

_And hey! What would you say,_

_ For just one flick from that raven hair?_

_ Don't catch us wrong, with this song,_

_ Our Anna Marie,_

_ Is a dame of high fineness..._

_ Oh so sweet, can't be beat,_

_ And we wouldn't want anything less,_

_ Than our one and our only...._

_ Anna Marie!!!!!_

The canine was brought back to the present as he heard David warbling the last few notes. "Bravo," he said clapping his paws together, "Hey, can I see that picture for a sec?" David held it out and Charlie pushed it down to the ground so he could have a better look. No, there was no mistaking those eyes. Why hadn't Itchy told him?

"Guess she got her family after all," he murmered quietly.

"Charlie?" David looked with concern for his friend, who raised his head and gave him a small, sad smile.

"Turns out I did know her kid," he said quietly, "A long time ago." He walked away from the frame on the floor, leaving David to pick it up, looking from the picture inside to Charlie. Placing it back on the burro where it belonged, the boy made his way over to the dog and sat down beside him.

"You knew her, really?" he asked.

"Yeah, but it was a _long_ time ago," Charlie informed him, "Hell kid, she was even younger then _you,"_ he said, nudging David's side, "And as far as I ever could tell, she couldn't sing a note."

"What was she like?" David asked in a hushed tone, pulling his knees up under his chin.

"Hell, I don't know, she was..." Charlie sighed, "She was an angel. And trust me, I've met a few. That kid wouldn't hurt anyone, even people who deserved it. She got _this_ old dog to turn a new leaf, and that's saying something," he admitted, stretching out to lay his head on his paws. "She was one in a million kid. Dammed annoying at times, but still, one in a million. I see why you miss her."

David sniffled, wiping his nose on his sleeve. "Yeah," he said softly. He reached out scratch Charlie's ears, then stretched out beside him, giving off a big yawn. Rubbing his face in Charlie's fur, he gave a sleepy sigh. "Love you Charlie."

Charlie started, remembering the last time a child had said that to him, then softened, looking over at his charge. It wasn't good bye this time. "Love you too kid."

Settling down to sleep, Charlie lifted an eye upwards towards the pearly gates he knew where up there, wondering if she'd had a hand in it, him ending up with _**her**_ kid.

Much later David's Step Mother came in to find the pair of them, stretched out on the floor beside the bed, fast asleep, both lost in dreams and memories, of the one, the only, Anna Marie.

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**Tell me I'm the only one who saw Marie in David's face when he put that black helmet on? I mean seriously, _so_ much the same, t'was scary. Oh, and yes, I did turn that sweet little girl into a gorgeous jazz singer. I like jazz, and hey! She had to grow up some time. Anyways, I hoped you liked it, and please, feel free to review, or even drop me a note telling me how tired you all are of all these dammed one shots. Hey, I warned you, didn't I?**


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